EASA Grants Green Light for Flight Tests on Indra’s Targus

It is the first time that a 1.25-ton aircraft prepared to fly with and without a pilot has been granted such a permit in Spain

Indra, a global technology and consulting company, has been approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to start flight tests of one of the largest and most advanced civilian drones in development in Europe, the Targus, said the company in a statement released on December 20.

“The company has achieved this impressive milestone after several years of close work with the Galician company Gaerum, its technological partner in the project,” it said.




“In this way, Indra complies with the deadlines and commitments assumed for the development of its Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV), one of the key projects addressed within the Civil UAVs Initiative, the ambitious proposal with which the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN) and the Xunta de Galicia want to make this region an international benchmark in the sector,” the statement added.

This is the first time that an Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) of 1.25 tonnes and made in Spain has obtained such a permit to fly.

The first tests will begin immediately and will aim to verify that the modifications and system installed on the plane do not alter its behaviour in flight.

Starting next April, remote flight tests will begin, which will last for a year. During the tests, the cockpit pilot will assign control to the ground control centre and will only intervene in the event of an incident and at the critical moments of landing and take-off, the company said.